1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latch for an oven.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known an oven which can perform a so-called self-cleaning operation. The temperature of the oven will become very high during the self-cleaning operation and, therefore, the oven typically includes a latch for keeping the oven door closed during the self-cleaning operation (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,438,666 and 4,861,078).
Such a latch includes a support member mounted within the oven, and a bracket member pivotably supported on the support member. A handle is fixed to the bracket member and is operable manually to move the latch between latching and unlatching positions.
A tightened connection between the support member and the bracket member will deteriorate an easy and smooth operation of the handle. A loose connection therebetween, however, may form a clearance between the bracket member and the support member during operation of the handle. This may lead a vertical rocking of the bracket member and, accordingly, may deteriorate the stability of the operation of the latch handle.
An object of the present invention is to provide a latch for an oven which is capable of preventing the vertical rocking of the latch sufficiently, to thereby ensure the stability of the handle operation of the latch.
According to the present invention, there is provided a latch for an oven having an oven door, the latch being movable between latching and unlatching positions, comprising: a support member mounted within the oven; a bracket member pivotably supported on the support member; a handle fixed to the bracket member and manually operable to move the latch between the latching and unlatching positions; a latch arm movably supported on the support member and connected to the bracket member to be moved between the latching and unlatching positions in accordance with the movement of the bracket member, the latch arm having a catch at one end thereof for engaging with the oven door; a spring connected between the support member and the bracket member for biasing the bracket member toward the latching or unlatching position, selectively; and an arcuate guide projection integrally formed with the support member beneath the bracket member for guiding the bracket member.
The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.